Trials of the Heart
by AutumnSiren29
Summary: Sequel to Soul-mates. As Harry and Draco grow to understand how their world became so divided, a darkness of ill intent still lingers over them. With Riddle defeated, Draco and Harry now have Dumbledore and the Ministry to deal with and attacks from all sides of their power for differing reasons. Friends become foes and vice versa in these trying times. Slash warning.


**Chapter I:** _A Race for Life_

Draco Malfoy was running as fast as he ever had in his entire life as he was helped along by his veela inherited speed. It was nothing compared to his mate's speed, but he didn't have time to question it right now as his mate needed to have immediate medical attention from somewhere in particular and they were also being hunted by some unknown trackers who were sent specifically for them by someone they knew. Harry was badly hurt after his battle with Riddle and he had exhausted a lot of his magical energy to defeat him, so his healing from innate magic was barely being able to keep him alive.

These trackers were well trained and whoever hired them went to some great expense to see them captured or killed today. He could smell them and they weren't powerful magically or at least not as much as he was after his bonding to Harry as his mate. Perhaps they could cloak a part of their power to remain hidden; it was possible after all and he didn't want to take any chances with his mate's life in the balance.

He would guess there were six or seven of them, possibly eight; but he didn't have time to stop and fight or Harry would die and he was not going to let this happen at all costs. Draco sighed to himself mentally as he continued to run. He was glad the first part of their war was over, but his mate was going to have to suffer so much more that it hurt him inside to even think of it and the consequences if they failed. His mate was lying over his shoulder, comatose, and getting colder by the minute.

After leaving the village to where Riddle attacked to the people who were left, Harry and Draco took cover amid the forest outside of it where Harry had then collapsed and nearly gave Draco a heart attack. The blonde aristocrat knew time was of the essence and so he went back to the village and bid the people left a warm goodbye and told them they would be back to help rebuild when they could. The lady who they had saved as they entered nodded and bid them good luck as Draco raced back for Harry in his comatose state.

The trackers showed up about three hours in on his journey and probably due to make up for lost ground as they had not realized he had left already and had taken the body of his mate along with him. The leader seemed to know how was best to hunt the two, but unsure how to get close enough to even think of capturing them let alone kill them if he could. The blonde snarled in a vicious anger to himself. Harry deserved better than this after fulling part of his destiny, yet he was being hunted for doing what he was born to do when he should be able to have a resting period and to relax. It made his blood boil beyond extremity, but he had to concentrate as his life was not the only one in danger currently.

There was no room for errors now and no time to stop for regrets or recollection of how to proceed. His mate needed him, and he was going to make sure he lived so those trackers would have hell to pay for when he woke up and was fully healed.

* * *

The trackers were in a very hard place to keep up with the blonde mate of Lord Peverell as a full veela with enhanced speed by inheritance and a mate who was running as if his life depended on it because their dominant mate was in danger from them. Which it did, or rather, his mate's life depended on his speed currently and his ability to avoid them and they were both in danger from his group kif they were caught. The sad fact thought was that the veela and his dark elven mate were winning this fight right now too, which irritated the leader of the mission. They were human after all and could not match his speed for distance if they tried and were nearly exhausted as it was as.

"Do you think they'll stop at all, Captain?" A female voice was heard as she panted out-of-breath

A tall man with short dark brown hair and eyes that were blue and as deep as the ocean sighed ahead of the group.

"I doubt it Anya, as the man who hired us had said the dark elven boy he wanted captured would be gravely injured after his fight with the dark wizard in the village and that his mate would see to him immediately as he could. He wasn't wrong yet and the veela is a irritant to the mission, but I know we cannot keep this up or we'll all collapse in exhaustion." He said, "The man said the veela could be captured as well, but he gave no objection to disposing of him as long as the dark elf remained sane after the killing of his mate. There is no guarantee he will, so capture is our only option currently."

Anya seemed to be thinking, "Why does our emplyer want those two so badly in his custody? If he were smart, he'd stay away from both of them as they ooze power and are highly dangerous if angered?" She asked cautiously

The captain eyed her and thought for a moment, "I don't know all the details of why he wants them, but I do know he said they would be and are dangerous to make your enemy. Then again, targeting Lord Peverell, also known as Harry James Potter after his defeat of Dark Lord Voldemort is never really wise if at all. His mate gained more power through bonding to him and the Malfoy name remains strong despite Draco Lucian Malfoy is the last of his line."

Anya and the group looked incredulous at this, "Captain, are you crazy? They are going to kill us if they reach Tilfalyn first and Harry recovers there. The dark elves are well-trained assassins and Harry, as Lord Peverell, would have all the cards in his court to take us out of their way." She hissed at him

"Our odds are not ideal Anya, but not impossible. We just need a chance to get close enough to them to form a strategy on how to capture them after observing their behaviors for a little while. Getting close is the hard part though, due to Draco's now very refined and enhanced senses. He will pick up on any smells or noises for a certain distace away and so observing them will be difficult." The captain told her

"Then maybe we should try another strategy." Another male voice said as he interrupted Anya's tirade at the captain for being foolish enough to accept this suicide mission and to drag her along into it.

The captain eyed him in thought carefully as Anya quieted and seemed to wanted to know what was going to happen from this.

"Perhaps you're right as we cannot very well keep up with them on foot. I also think I know how to do this as well if we are very careful and watchful of our surroundings?" He said quietly to the group

Just then and from seemingly nowhere, Draco's voice was heard within the woods around them though his presence was nowhere to be found.

"You are all fools. If you think you can take me and Harry on, please then, believe what you will. However, be warned that no matter what you say, these woods have protected the dark elves for centuries and my mate is an extension of this along with me as his mate. These ancient trees hear you as your group plans and then we hear you and know what is to come. No matter what you plan, I'll already know and I will never allow you close enough to me or Harry to capture, and certainly not if you plan on disposing of me later on." He snarled viciously to them all, "I suggest getting the hell away from here or suffer the consequences of certain death for all of you. Is death more profitable than life to you as wizard trackers? Only when you're the one who isn't dead, I guess. Mark my words though. If you dare to come anywhere near me or my mate; I'll kill you where you stand if the forest doesn't do it first."

Then the presence of the voice was gone and any trace of his magic disappeared in a silent chill that ran through the group. The trackers looked nervous now and knew that perhaps they were in this over their heads. His magic was extremely powerful like his mate who they were after. The captain seemed unnerved as he had not thought the Malfoy boy would have gained that mjuch power through bonding, but apparently he was wrong.

"Captain?" Anya asked shakily

The man said nothing as he stood very still and listened carefully. The next moment was when Anya screamed.

Arrows made of magical fire and ice had been launched at the group from unseen areas and hit three of the eight people in the group. They were dead by sight and later on smell due to the fire's rapid decay of flesh.

"Damn." He muttered, "We need to head back to report this, or we'll be in trouble."

Anya and the four others left nodded as they turned heel to report their misfortunate events and resupply for when the Lord and his mate reappeared.

Draco knew they had turned around and retreated for the moment, but he also knew they would be back sooner or later for a second shot so he kept going to keep Harry alive.

* * *

Three days had gone by since he arrived in the woodland glen his mate told him of prior to Severus's intrusion and his ditching of the trackers after them. This glen had the homes of a native dark elf tribe who had refused to go underground and would provide him safe harbor if needed.

The healer's there had done miraculous work on him, and Harry was lucky to even be breathing or so he had been told. His wounds had been severe and his magic seemed ready to lose control at a moment's notice. If not for their advanced medicine, Harry likely would have died in another day or two, perhaps less than that if he had been drained more. Draco knew his fight with Riddle had worn his mate down, but he had not realized it to this extent and was nervous for his recovery as it was.

Draco had sat at his mate's bedside day in and day out for the last three days after receiving his own healing, and he was refusing to leave except to eat, bathe, or to sleep. Knowing Harry did not wish him to die away while he was like this; he did what he had to but still he maintained his vigil over his mate's body in case the trackers came back to get them again.

Harry was still comatose and pale, but his breathing was stable and his powers under control again for the moment. Draco wanted so badly for those emerald eyes to open and to see him smile at him again. Draco hated seeing his mate like this. Pale as death warmed over and lying in a bad barely able to move, as his magic fought his body to heal him and stay in control so he wouldn't lose his mind after he woke.

The door opened and Head Healer Órelindë Mithrandír walked inside and sat by Draco easily as she came to check on the two. She laid her hand to his shoulder and he looked to her questioningly.

"He is powerful as are you, and you both are mates making you both very intimidating opponents in your own rights but even more so when fighting together and beside the other as will happen in the near future. He has defeated evil made by a prophecy from before he was born, yet he will not be allowed to rest for too long if he and you return soon to the world you both know as soon as he is able to do so." She said a bit sadly

Draco pondered this, "So what are we supposed to do then? Hide away like cowards while others suffer? I cannot see Harry liking that, and while at one time I may have been more inclined to allow it to happen; I do not any longer relish the idea personally unless you have another reason to give us to stay."

She smiled, "He is a dark elf by birth and you are his mate. He is immortal now for defeating Tom Riddle and you share this immortality because you are linked to him forever. He will need you to remain as his support balance when time are trying on him and common misunderstanding allows others to believe dark elves like us and our brethren are always immortal, but it is not so any more."

"You know the battle ways of the human world from the wizards viewpoint and as such your arsenal of combat tactics is limited despite the great knowledge you both possess due to your transitions. I offer you both a chance to stay and learn more of other cultures and their ways of life and a chance to learn how to apply the great knowledge you both have in many more ways than could be perceived."

"Combat, healing, traditions, and more. I understand you must return for your last school year though. So arrangements were made to use a time stasis spell in order to train you both before your return, if you agree." She told the young veela as he pondered her proposal to more training whilst here

Draco was eerily silent and knew not how to respond. He did not want to agree outright and have his mate angry at him, yet the offer enough was tempting.

"I need to wait till Harry wakes and ask him what he believes is the right way to go. I know what I would say, but my mate has to agree because he is truly the one here in the most danger." Draco said to her

She smiled and nodded her head in respect to him, "Wisely said. You will make a fine mate for our Lord and I know why the goddess has chosen you for him. I can see what she saw in you and Harry should know he has been blessed indeed."

Draco looked her uncertain now and nervous, "He will wake soon, right?"

She looked at Harry a moment, "I think another day or so unless he has a power burst, but even if he does; it will only be a day at most before he wakes after that."

Draco nodded and sighed with obvious relief, "Bel'la dos, Darlshei Mithrandír." He said softly as she was leaving only to have her turn to him I question. (Thank you, healer Mithrandír.)

She studied him a moment, "You know our language already?" she asked

Draco smiled softly and then looked to his mate's body a moment and then returned to her gaze.

"Siyo, Usstan jal'yur zhaun. Ji 'udtila ussta m'ranndii 'zil uk keer uns'aa." Draco said softly to her as she seemed surprised. (Yes, I already know. So does my mate as he taught me.)

The elven woman nodded in respect and was impressed by these two young men. As she left the ward, she smiled to herself and knew they would accept her offer to them regardless she would have to await an answer. Those two would surprise their trainers in many ways once they began to adapt here for a time to train and she felt they would know they could call this place a second home if needed. Tilfalyn had long protected the many dark elves of the Potter clan who then became Lord Peverell in the past and this was no different.

Bridges of trust would need mended between Harry and the people here, as their alliance was not what it once was. Órelindë, however, was confident that the two would succeed and be able to bring the respect her people deserved back after many centuries of fighting for it.


End file.
